As part of Bomber Task Force (BTF) operations, for the first time, a B-2 Spirit from the U.S. Air Force’s 110th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron met with F-35A Lightning IIs from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). The bombers, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, had departed from the Royal Australian Air Force’s Amberley Base, where they had been stationed for three weeks conducting BTF operations.
During the mission, carried out in the Indo-Pacific region, B-2 and F-35 pilots conducted operations aimed at enhancing integration between participating nations’ forces and aerial refueling. The U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) emphasized in an official statement that these operations demonstrate the United States’ commitment to training with allies and partners to foster interoperability and strengthen collective capacity to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. bombers had arrived in Australia in mid-August after two years, supporting routine missions in the Indo-Pacific and operating in a region that includes major overseas and continental deployments where the U.S. seeks to maintain its operational presence.
It is important to note that Bomber Task Force missions regularly operate out of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and Diego Garcia Naval Support Facility in the Indian Ocean. However, this deployment is “in support of Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with allies, partners, joint forces, and strategic deterrence missions,” according to the official statement.
In this context, U.S. allies are looking for opportunities to train and demonstrate the strong relationships between forces and their readiness in an increasingly demanding environment. Japan, in particular, has demonstrated its commitment in recent years by investing in a more capable Self-Defense Force, prepared to meet current challenges.
The meeting between U.S. bombers and Japanese F-35s underscores the growing emphasis on preparedness, training, and cooperation sought by countries in the Asia and Indo-Pacific region.
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